Automatic pencil



May 29, 1928.

H. C. SPINDLER AUTOMATIC PENCIL Filed June '7, 1921 me/wtm Herman C. Spindler QW Rw .W mw N.

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Patented May 29, 1928.

v' UNITED STATES HERMAN o. SPINDLER, oF AKRON, orIIo, AssIGrNonu fro WILLIAM o. McCoy, on AKRON,

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AUTOMATIC PENCIL.

Application led June 7,

My invention relates to automatic pencils and it particularly appertains to pencils in which the marking leads are operatively advanced by manipulating relatively movable parts of the pencils.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an automatic pencil having greatly .improved operating characteristics and large operating parts that are particularly rugged and strong. My improved pencil is adapted 'to carry an increased reserve supply of leads, lit may be manufactured at reduced cost, and readily lend itself to the design of the v customary large size ot' mans pencil or the reduced size ot pencili'or ladies without impairing its advantageous-operating char` acteristics or ruggedness ot structure.

Other primary and ancillary objects and advantages to be derived from practicing my invention will be apparent from a study 'of the description and the accompanying ldrawing in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved pencil with certain parts bro-l ken away and other parts shown in eleva'- tion for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the operating mechanism for advancing the lead projecting plunger; and

Fie". 3 is a detailed sectional view of the pencil taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 -is a detailed longitudinal sectional view of the lead receiving tube and associated collar that is used as a part of the tig of the pencil shown in Figure 1.

n general, my pencil comprises a barrel 1, a tip 2 that is removably secured to the barrel for operatively holding the marking lead, and mechanism 3 for operatively advancing the lead through the tip 2..

The barrel 1 is of straight tubular forni having internal screw threads that are adapted to cooperate with the lead-advancing mechanism and by means of which the tip 2 'is removably secured tothe barrel. The screw threads are cut away in the upper end of the pencil in order to provide additional space for a lead-containing magazine to be later described. The extreme upper end of the barrel has a ring 4 formed thereon which gives a neat and artistic appearance to the pencil.

The pencil tip 2 is 'formed with a tapered 1921. Serial No. 475,711.

bore 10 that extends from the mouth of a lead-receiving tube 11 to the open lower end of the tip. The lower portion of the tip 2 has pairvof hair slits 12 that provide a spring clutch which grips the lead to prevent its movement through thepencil tip Lexcept when advanced by a suitable plunger to be later described.

p The 'portion of the bore 10 above the split portion of vthe tip is slightly larger than the marking lead to be used in the pencil'whereas the mouth of the tip, which `constitutes the spring clutch, is of slightly less diameter than the marking lead. The lower portion otI the tip is preferably made `ot steel or other spring metal.

A sleeve 15, which has an opening through which the lead-receiving tube 11 extends, is screwed or soldered into the upperV end yof the tip 2. The upper end 16 of the leadreceivingrtube 11 is swaged to secure .the same within the sleeve 15 and to provide an enlarged mouth for the tube. The upper portion of the tip is threaded kfor engagement with the internal threads of the pencil barrel. v

The operating mechanism of the pencil, which is most clearly shown in Fig. 2, com prises a yplunger'20 that extends from a threaded operating nut 21 which engages the interior` threads of the pencil barrel to eiiect the reciprocating movement of the plunger 20. The opposite sides of the nut 21 are grooved to receive a pair of arms 22 that are secured to la lead-containing magazine 23.` The arms 22 have a centering sleeve 241 at their lower ends which acts as a guide `for the plunger 2O and which also greatly strengthens the arms 22. A shoulder 25 is formed on each of the arms for a purpose that will presently be apparent.

. ,The lower portion 27 of the lead magazine is of reduced diameter and the arms 22 are rigidly secured thereto. A sleeve 28, which isrigidlyqsecured within the barrel o f the pencilfby dowelipins 29 or other suitable means, is adapted to engage the shoulders 25 of the arms 22 to prevent the complete removal` ot the operating mechanism while permitting a partial exposure of the lead containing magazine. Thel operating mechanism is freely rotatable within vthe sleeve 28. yThe lower portions of the arms 22 are bowed outwardly to etl'ect frictional engagew ment with the sides of the barrel to prevent the movement `of the operating mechanism except when purposely manipulated.

An eraser container 29, which carries erasing material 30` is threaded into the rnol'ith of the lead magazine and `a cap 3l engages threads formed on the lead maga'- zine. v

Leads are removed from the magazine' by holding the barrel `ofthe pencilin one band and pulling the cap longitudinally until a suitable portionl of the magazine is exposed. The `eiqaosed portion of the maga,- `zine then `held and the cap `and eraser are unscreived to open thejleadmagazine The shoulders 25, Jformed on the arms22,engage the collar 28 Ithat `is secured Within. :the

barrel to prevent the exposure olf more than the lead magazine, thereby protectingthc operating meclianism from injury. This magazine being` out large cylindrical shape, carries an abundant supply ol' leads and pro- `vides a container from which the leads can be easily removed and in which there is no possibility of breaking` the leads by reason of the bending of the container `as is often the case where the leads are carried in tubes ,which also function as arms for operating the lead project-ing mechanism. i. The lead magazine is closed and the tip ot the pencilis unscreived from thebarrel. The marking lead is dropped into the leadreceiving `passage and `the 'tip `is `again screwed into the barrel. This affords-a very convenient and easy method of loading the pencil andhasthe advantage of not exposingI the operating mechanism of the pencil to injury through careless handling.

Since the bore of the tube and the lead receiving; passage that is formed in thetip oil.t Vthe pencil is only slightly greater than the size oft the lead, thereis no probability that lead ot' larger size than that in tended :for use in the pencil will be iliorcedinto the tube.` The reinforcingr collar 'l5 around the mouth .i6 uit :the `lead-receiving:r tube `forms .a `.very substantial mechanical protection against injury to the tube or the 4tip of the pencil through *anything that might carelessly be donc. rlhebending `ot lead-receiving tubes is a common source of injury to pencils now beingmanufactured j `lVithmy construction, short leads may he completely used up. lVhen `leads are lorccd back through the lead-receiving tube in the reverse direction jfrom'thatin which lthey'are fed through such tubes, they are otenhroken and require considerable care lin reloadingg'. These diliiculties are `avoided in my `pencil since thelleads are merely dropped `into the open `end of the leadreceiving tube `and are not forced through any restricted opening; i

The lead operatively supplied to the tip of the-pencil by manipulating the cap 'Which, in turn, rotates the arms 22 which carry the nut r21 betvveenthem. This rotation ot thennut advances andietiacts the plunger i2() and thus advances the leadsto the desired degl e. The outward bow of the operatingarnl imposes sufficient resistance to the movement oi' the operating,` mechaal or unexpected Sil cils i'or ladies use or readily adapts `itself c to the larger andumore rugged design that is commonly ldesired by men. Such-a mechanism also renders the pencil substantially fool proof, and, since the internal mechanism is rpositively protected against tampering by the user of the pencil, there'is little or no likelihood that any injury a can acci dont-ally result from any reasonable service to which the pencil is subjected. The .use of the special spring clutch, that is formed in the tip of the pencil, prevents breaking the point of the lead. This is a usual complaint. Where internal teeth or other mechanism 1s employed to; prevent the lead from dropping out 'of the tip Asincesuch mechanism ents into the lead and forms only a single `iulcrum point instead of the large supjiiorting area adjacent the exposed lead that my pencil provides.'` By forming the tipoiliighly resilient metal, any degree of clutch action can be obtained. and furthermore, the Weight of theitip` of the ,pencil provides a proper able feature. y

Although I have illustrated and described. a singlef application of my inventiom'l de` sire tonifully protect all 'jiatentable novelty appearing therein and l that only such limitatirms shall be limposed as .are indicated by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. i.

That l claimis: y

l. Anautoniatic pencil con'iprising a barrel havingr internal screwl threads over a n portion thereof, `lead af lvancin@Y mechanism mounted ivithin the barrel conu'nfising, a cylindrical lead magazine. a pair of substantially parallel arms extending longitudinally from the .magazine and terminating in'a collar, al'ead follower having threaded engagement with said barrel, said itollower beingr mounted betivecn'said arms for recip# rocfatingr n'iovement, and a pair of oppositely disposed shoulders formed on the outsideof said parallel arms, a collar secured Within said barrel and adapted to engage said shoulders to prevent complete longitudinal 'Withlll balance that is a desir desire, therefore,

cylindrical lead magazine, a pair of sub-r santially parallel arms extending longitud1. `nally from the magazine, and terminating in a collar, a lead follower having threaded engagen'ient with said barrel, said follower being mounted between said arms for reciprocating movement, and a pair of oppositely disposed shoulders formed on the outside of said parallel arms, and a collar secured Within said barrel and adapted to engage raid shoulders to prevent complete longitudinal Withdrawal of said mechanism, and a removable tip secured to said barrel, and comprising a body portion, a collar secured within the body portion, and a leadreceiving tube extending partially through the tip and completely through the collar, the upper end of the tube being expanded to form al flared opening.

3. An automatic pencil comprising a barrel, a plunger reciprocably mounted `Within the barrel, means for actuating the plunger, a magazine for marking leads constituting a part of the actuating means, said magazine being adapted to be drawn longitudinally from th-e pencil to expose a portion thereof, and means independent of the plunger adapted to prevent the complete removal of said magazine.

4. An automatic pencil comprising a barrel, a lead magazine mounted Within they barrel, a pair of arms rigidly attached to said lead magazine, a lead projecting plunger operated by said arms, and a tip removably secured to the barrel and adapted to receive leads for loading the1 pencil when separated therefrom.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HERMAN C. SPINDLER. 

